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Sir Elliot Douglas
Elliot Douglas Sir Elliot Douglas (March 11th, 1797 - November 8th, 1860) was an English polymath, soldier, and politician, practicing equestrianism, swordplay, poetry, and sailing. He later funded and led expeditions through southwestern Parvia, and became the first Governor of Douglas (1849-60). Early Life Born in Brighton to wealthy parents, Elliot Douglas had plenty of time to hone his skills. Taking up sailing first, Elliot began to strengthen his talents. In 1809, with the Napoleonic Wars in full swing, his father hired an Ottoman swordsman named Ayberk to teach Elliot how to fight and ride horses. He is the second oldest of four children, with his siblings being girls. In 1816, by the encouragement of his father and Ayberk, he decided to join the British Army. Military Service (1816-1826) Elliot Douglas entered into the army as a Lieutenant due to his skills in sailing and swordplay. He was first shipped off to fight in the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-1818), serving under the command of Major General John Malcolm. By 1918, Elliot had risen to the rank of Major and was stationed in Fort William. He saw no action again until 1824, during the First Anglo-Burmese War. In May, he, along with 10,000 other men, entered the Harbor of Yangon and took control of the city. Fighting ensued around the harbor, and the Burmese army was pushed back. While serving throughout the war, Elliot continued to rise in rank, reaching Major General, and retiring, by the end of it. Politics and Parvia Funding (1827-1847) While stationed in Burma through the First Anglo-Burmese War, Elliot Douglas had heard of a recently discovered continent just southeast of Japan. Throughout the war, he simply couldn't get his mind off of the idea. He made plans to leave the army, use his wealth and military experience to secure a seat in parliament, and begin to send large amounts of men to colonize the new land. By 1835, he had funded four expeditions into southeastern Parvia, and had convinced The Earl Grey to send state-funded expeditions into Parvia. Deciding to take leave from Parliament for several years, Elliot commanded a troupe of British soldiers into Parvia from 1842 to 1847, setting up a permanent camp along a lake that would later become the British capital of Parvia, Douglas. Inspired by the expedition, Elliot found it difficult to return to normal life in politics. After only a year of being home, Elliot decided that he would return to that small encampment, taking his family and money with him to build it up. Governance and Death (1848-1860) Upon returning to Parvia in 1848, Sir Elliot Douglas discovered that a large party of settlers in Lower Ashwell desired to move further north into the plains. Leading a group of 400 men, women, and children, including members of the British Army and the native Inac, Elliot journeyed into the plains of Parvia to settle. When the group reached the camp in 1849, they discovered that it had been completely abandoned. Buildings were left in mid-construction. Things were scattered throughout the village. It was as if a battle had happened, and everyone had retreated. Cautiously, the settlers moved in, and life began in this small town dubbed New Brighton. Initially, the British soldiers were put on high alert due to the sudden disappearance of the settlers. Fort Douglas was established in 1850, and before long New Brighton was back to normal. Elliot Douglas served as governor of the town, building it up into a major farming town throughout the years, and eventually a hub for trade with the native Oissians to the northeast. In October of 1860, Elliot had fallen ill with Typhoid Fever. It is said that during his last days, no one but his son Augustus was allowed to see him, and Augustus never released what was said to him during those final days. Sir Elliot Douglas died in his sleep on November 8th, 1960. His son decreed it a local holiday, and renamed the town Douglas.